Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spool braking device for braking a spool which is rotatably supported by a reel body, and a fishing reel which includes the spool braking device.
Background Information
In a fishing reel, backlash can occur when a spool, to which fishing line is wound, is over rotated in the casting direction (i.e., unreeled), and the rotational speed of the spool is faster than the casting (i.e., line delivering) speed. When backlash occurs, so-called line slack occurs, in which the fishing line sags causing the fishing line to tangle. Thus, some fishing reels include a braking device, which applies a braking force to the rotating spool to prevent backlash. There are, in general, roughly two types of braking devices. One uses centrifugal force to act as a frictional force to a freely rotating spool, and the other acts using a magnetic force to the freely rotating spool.
A braking device that applies a braking force to a freely rotating spool by an acting magnetic force comprises, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 1998-262518, a conductor, a magnet, a spool rotation controlling device and a control effect adjustment device or means. The conductor is disposed in one of either the spool or the reel body, and the magnet is disposed in the other of the spool or the reel body. The magnet applies braking force the rotation of the spool by the magnetic force on the conductor. The spool rotation controlling device controls (increases/decreases) the magnetic force acting on the conductor by the magnet in response to the rotation speed (increases/decreases) of the spool to control the rotation speed of the spool. The control effect adjustment device adjusts the magnitude of the control effect that the spool rotation speed controlling device produces by the rotation speed (increases/decreases) of the spool.
The fishing reel, as described in Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 1998-262518, controls the rotation speed of the spool by relatively moving one of the conductor and the magnet with respect to the other according to the rotation speed (increases/decreases) of the spool, thereby controlling (increases/decreases) the magnetic force that the magnet acts on the conductor according to the rotation speed of the spool. Consequently, it is possible to maintain a low magnetic force that acts on the conductor, and reduce the braking force with respect to the spool, until the rotation speed of the spool becomes relatively high in the initial stage immediately after the beginning of casting, and eliminate unnecessary load of the braking force with respect to the spool. As a result, it is possible to improve the flight distance of the tackle, while increasing the release speed of the fishing line from the spool.
Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2013-236606 discloses a spool braking device comprising a conductor that rotates in conjunction with a spool, a magnet that is movable in the axial direction with respect to the reel body and that is opposable with the conductor in the radial direction, and a braking force adjustment device or means for braking the rotation of the spool. The braking force adjustment device changes the range of opposition at which the conductor and the magnet are opposed in the radial direction and varies the number of magnetic flux of the magnet that acts on the conductor according to changes in the opposing range, by moving the magnet in the axial direction with respect to the reel body, based on the magnetic force of the magnet that acts on the conductor, when the conductor is rotated in a state in which the magnet and the conductor are opposed in the radial direction. The spool braking device of Japanese Published Unexamined Application No. 2013-236606 is configured to be able to adjust the braking force in a wide range, and to appropriately apply a braking force corresponding to the rotation of the spool to the spool.